Advice for breeding European goldfinches
Posted: 16 Mar 2011, 04:09
Hi, i have a male and female goldfinch. I have had them for a few monthes. I bought them from a breeder down in merseyside england and they are now around a year old.
I have made sure all the breeding conditions are just right. Lighting etc And all the other pairs of birds i have are now sitting on eggs.
I have had no experience with Goldfinches before, this is my first pair.
I have heard that their diet is rather complex. So im currently feeding them *finger pots, charcoal, kelp, oyster shell, * iodine block, cuttle bone. A good canary mix, with extra hemp, loads of niger seed, Sunflower hearts and a tiny bit of millet *dont really eat* They get greens almost everyday or eggfood and now that its spring they also get maggots/mealworms or crickets.
Im wondering if i can add some stuff to this? I heard that they can eat grass seeds? like what you plant ur lawn with? from a garden centre *not ordinary grass seed like in seed mixs for birds* carrot seeds, brocalli seeds, cress seeds, strawberry seeds and other fruit and veggie seeds. Are there any other seeds i can give like fennel? etc
Anyway I have my goldfinches in a 4ft long cage by 1 n half foot wide by 2ft high. They currently have a board devideing them to 2ft each.
I have put a nest in with my hen and she does seem interested in it. The male doesnt sing a great deal but when he does she pays alot of attention to the nest.
When i allow the male in with er, they fight like cat and dog. Both are showing interest in the nest but chase each other away from it and growling. They pick up bedding and play with it but never try to nest build. He never sings to her when he can see her or when he is in with her. He just beats her up.
What am i doing wrong?
I have made sure all the breeding conditions are just right. Lighting etc And all the other pairs of birds i have are now sitting on eggs.
I have had no experience with Goldfinches before, this is my first pair.
I have heard that their diet is rather complex. So im currently feeding them *finger pots, charcoal, kelp, oyster shell, * iodine block, cuttle bone. A good canary mix, with extra hemp, loads of niger seed, Sunflower hearts and a tiny bit of millet *dont really eat* They get greens almost everyday or eggfood and now that its spring they also get maggots/mealworms or crickets.
Im wondering if i can add some stuff to this? I heard that they can eat grass seeds? like what you plant ur lawn with? from a garden centre *not ordinary grass seed like in seed mixs for birds* carrot seeds, brocalli seeds, cress seeds, strawberry seeds and other fruit and veggie seeds. Are there any other seeds i can give like fennel? etc
Anyway I have my goldfinches in a 4ft long cage by 1 n half foot wide by 2ft high. They currently have a board devideing them to 2ft each.
I have put a nest in with my hen and she does seem interested in it. The male doesnt sing a great deal but when he does she pays alot of attention to the nest.
When i allow the male in with er, they fight like cat and dog. Both are showing interest in the nest but chase each other away from it and growling. They pick up bedding and play with it but never try to nest build. He never sings to her when he can see her or when he is in with her. He just beats her up.
What am i doing wrong?